附註:Includes bibliographical references (pages 199-235) and index.
Intro; Title Page; Copyright Page; Table of Contents; List of Maps; List of Illustrations; List of Tables; Preface; 1. The Western Shortgrass Prairie: A Brief History; 2. A Buffalo Nation: Its Death and Rebirth; 3. Prairie Dogs and the American West: Little Towns on the Prairie; 4. Ferrets, Badgers, Bobcats, and Coyotes: Coping with Dangerous Neighbors; 5. Free-loaders and Hangers-on: The Rewards and Dangers of City Life; 6. Other High Plains Wildlife: Born on the American Steppes; 7. The High Plains Raptors: Death Rides on Silent Wings.
8. The Varmint and Predator Wars: Itâ#x80;#x99;s Finally Almost Quiet on the Western Front9. Taming the Great American Desert: Hardscrabble Times at the Fringes of Nowhere; 10. The USFS, BLM, and BIA: How theWest Was Lost; 11. The Great Plains Grassland Ecosystem: Can It Be Saved?; Appendix 1: A Guide to National Grasslands, Reservations, and Nature Preserves on the High Plains; Appendix 2: Scientific Names of Animals in the Text; References; Index.
摘要:"An indispensable and highly readable introduction to the ecosystem of the shortgrass prairie, Prairie Dog Empire describes in clear and detailed terms the habitat and habits of black-tailed prairie dogs; their subsistence, seasonal behavior, and the makeup of their vast colonies; and the ways in which their "towns" transform the surrounding terrain - for better or worse. Paul A. Johnsgard recounts how this terrain was in turn transformed over the past century by the destruction of prairie dogs and their grassland habitats, together with the removal of the bison and their replacement with domestic livestock. , A disturbing look at profound ecological alterations in the environment, this book also offers a rare and invaluable close-up view of the rich history and threatened future of the creature once considered the "keystone" species of the western plains." "Included are maps, drawings, and listings of more than two hundred natural grassland preserves where many of the region's native plants and animals may still be seen and studied."--Jacket.
